Rams standout was victim of bad luck in 2024 NFL season

Former Florida State star and breakout NFL defensive end Jared Verse has been no stranger to the spotlight following his 2024 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year performance. Apart from a yoga challenge with future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald, he has made a name for himself in the eyes of the professional sports world as a boisterous and productive athlete, already proving himself a prime candidate for success at the next level.

Still, in the eyes of most successful athletes, there's always more to chase: another workout to grind through, another quarterback’s internal clock to hit the snooze button on. And for us, the highly regarded reporters? There’s always a Buc-ee’s gas station calling our name as we brave the endless content cycle.

NFL.com's Kevin Patra recently released a list of the unluckiest player stats from last season, and Verse's sack conversion rate was among them.

"The Defensive Rookie of the Year ranked fourth in the NFL in pressures with 76, per Next Gen Stats, but tied for 95th in sacks (4.5). The 5.9% sack conversion rate (4.5 sacks on 76 pressures) ranked lowest in the NFL among 72 edge rushers with 250-plus pass rush snaps in 2024. Verse has already vowed to change this figure in 2025."

It's a double-edged sword to put the best defensive NFL rookie on the list, but in context, the quest for improvement is perpetual. Verse had a 17.1% pressure rate, the fourth-best in the NFL, which was the same as NFL sack leader Trey Hendrickson.

Verse appeared on The Adam Schefter Podcast and said he was vexed at some of the mistakes he made last season. His vow for improvement remains the same.

Watch for the LA Rams and Verse as they kick off the preseason against the Dallas Cowboys on August 8 at 7:00 p.m.